Hydrangea plant named ‘Red Sensation’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hydrangea  plant named ‘Red Sensation’, characterized by its upright and mounded plant habit; strong roots and stems; flowering during first year of production; and large inflorescences with light red purple-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Hydrangea macrophylla.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Red Sensation’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea, botanically known as Hydrangea macrophylla and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Red Sensation’.

The new Hydrangea is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of the Hydrangea macrophylla cultivar Early Sensation, not patented. The new Hydrangea was discovered and selected by the Inventor in a controlled environment in Hillegom, The Netherlands in 2001.

Asexual reproduction of the new Hydrangea by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Hillegom, The Netherlands since 2001, has shown that the unique features of this new Hydrangea are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Red Sensation has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Red Sensation’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Red Sensation’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea:

-   -   1. Upright and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Strong roots and stems.     -   3. Flowers first year of production.     -   4. Large inflorescences with light red purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Hydrangea differ from plants of the parent, the cultivar Early Sensation, primarily in flower color as plants of the cultivar Early Sensation have pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Hydrangea can be compared to plants of the cultivar First Red, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 11/509,516. Plants of the new Hydrangea differ from plants of the cultivar First Red primarily in flower color as plants of the cultivar First Red have darker red purple-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the unique appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Hydrangea. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Red Sensation’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and in the following description were grown in Hillegom, The Netherlands, in 5-liter containers in an outdoor nursery and under conditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 30° C. and night temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 18° C. Plants of the new Hydrangea were about two years old when the photographs and description were taken during the early fall.

-   Botanical description: Hydrangea macrophylla cultivar ‘Red     Sensation’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of the Hydrangea     macrophylla cultivar Early Sensation, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About three weeks at temperatures of             14° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous, strong; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form/growth habit.—Upright and mounded plant habit; inverted             triangle. Strong lateral branches; moderately vigorous             growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 30 cm.         -   Plant diameter or area of spread.—About 45 cm.         -   Branching habit.—When pinched, freely branching with about             ten lateral branches per plant.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 19.5 cm. Diameter: About             5 mm. Internode length: About 4.9 cm. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Strength: Strong. Color: 144A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 8 cm.         -   Width.—About 5.8 cm.         -   Shape.—Broadly oval to broadly elliptic to oblong.         -   Apex.—Apiculate.         -   Base.—Acuminate.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Rugose; glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: 141A. Developing             foliage, lower surface: 143A. Fully expanded foliage, upper             surface: 137B; venation, 144C. Fully expanded foliage, lower             surface: 138A to 138B; venation, 145C.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: 145A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single flat flowers arranged on             terminal panicles; panicles large and globular. Flowers face             upright to outward. Flowers persistent. Flowers not             fragrant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Continuous flowering from early             June to September in Northern Europe. Plants flower during             the first year of production.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about three weeks on the             plant.         -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering; about 30 fertile             flowers and about 105 sterile flowers per panicle.         -   Panicle height.—About 11.7 cm.         -   Panicle diameter.—About 16.3 cm.         -   Flower diameter, fertile flowers.—About 6 mm.         -   Flower diameter, sterile flowers.—About 4.5 cm.         -   Flower depth (height), fertile flowers.—About 5 mm.         -   Flower depth (height), sterile flowers.—About 9 mm.         -   Flower buds, fertile and sterile flowers.—Length: About             4 mm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Shape: Globular. Color: 65B;             towards the base, 65D.         -   Petals, fertile flowers only.—Arrangement: Four in a single             whorl. Length: About 4 mm. Width: About 2.5 mm. Shape:             Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             When opening and fully opened, upper surface: 64C; towards             the base, 65D. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:             65A; towards the base, 65D.         -   Sepals, fertile flowers.—Quantity per flower: Four in a             single whorl; fused at base. Length: About 4 mm. Width:             About 1.5 mm. Shape: Deltoid. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             When opening and fully opened, upper surface: 144B; towards             the apex, 146B. When opening and fully opened, lower             surface: 144B; towards the apex, tinged with 65A to 65B.         -   Sepals, sterile flowers.—Quantity per flower: Four or five             in a single whorl. Length: About 2.2 cm. Width: About             2.4 cm. Shape: Deltoid. Apex: Rounded to broadly acute.             Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and fully             opened, upper surface: 64D. When opening and fully opened,             lower surface: 63C.         -   Pedicels, fertile and sterile flowers.—Angle: About 25° from             vertical. Strength: Strong. Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter:             About 1.5 mm. Color: 75D.         -   Reproductive organs, fertile flowers only.—Stamens: Quantity             per flower: About eight. Filament length: About 2 mm.             Filament color: N158D. Anther shape: Reniform. Anther             length: About 1.5 mm. Anther color: 157C. Pollen amount:             Scarce. Pollen color: N158D. Pistils: Pistil quantity per             flower: About three. Pistil length: About 1.5 mm. Stigma             shape: Lobed. Stigma color: 157D. Style length: About             0.5 mm. Style color: 157D. Ovary color: 154C to 154D.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development has not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Under commercial production conditions,     plants of the new Hydrangea have not been observed to be resistant     to pathogens or pests common to Hydrangea. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Hydrangea have been shown     to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about 0° C. to about 35°     C. 

1. A new and distinct Hydrangea plant named ‘Red Sensation’ as illustrated and described. 